This article was automatically translated from the original Turkish version.
Sadism
Type | Antagonistic personality structure | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Definition | Tendency to derive pleasure from causing physical, emotional, or psychological pain to others | ||||||||
Historical Origins | Reich (1949) Richard von Krafft-Ebing – Psychopathia Sexualis (1890) Freud (1905/1920) | ||||||||
Psychological Connections | Psychopathy Narcissism Machiavellianism (Dark Triad) | ||||||||
Related Behaviors | Manipulation Belittlement Physical and emotional abuse | ||||||||
Social Impacts | Secret cycles of violence Gender roles Patriarchal culture | ||||||||
Effects on Victims | Anxiety Post-traumatic stress Depression Loss of self-confidence | ||||||||
Research Areas | Gender studies Criminology Clinical psychology Personality psychology | ||||||||
Sadism is a complex personality trait characterized by deriving pleasure from the suffering or pain of others and shaped by a tendency to satisfy the desire for power and control. This trait is not limited to the impulse to inflict physical harm but can also manifest through emotional and psychological manipulation.
The relationship between sadism and antisocial behavior is an important subject of study in psychology and criminology. While it is known that sadistic individuals exhibit cruel actions toward others, the precise cognitive and emotional processes underlying these behaviors have not yet been fully understood. The points of overlap between sadistic tendencies and criminal behavior, particularly in distinguishing sadism from other types of antisocial offenses, constitute a critical research area.
Sadism is a concept addressed in psychiatric and psychological literature through various theoretical approaches. The renowned German psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing, in his work Psychopathia Sexualis (1939), defined sadism as the association of physical or psychological harm inflicted on oneself or others with sexual pleasure. According to him, sadistic individuals consciously or unconsciously seek to satisfy tendencies toward inflicting pain, humiliation, and the exercise of power. However, Krafft-Ebing’s definition focused primarily on sexual sadism, and subsequent research has demonstrated that sadism is not confined to sexual pleasure and must be examined within a broader psychological framework.
From a psychoanalytic perspective, Sigmund Freud viewed sadism and masochism as two opposing poles of the aggressive drive. In his early period theories, these tendencies were linked to stages of psychosexual development, but in later works he proposed that sadism is connected to the death instinct (Thanatos). Wilhelm Reich (1949) extended Freud’s theories by arguing that individuals’ aggressive impulses pass through different stages during their developmental process. According to Reich, sadistic tendencies emerge in different forms
Allred, Tara Bulut. “The Concept of Sadism in the Current Empirical Literature.” ResearchGate, 2017.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319678836_The_concept_of_sadism_in_the_current_empirical_literature
Chester, David S. “Sadism and Aggressive Behavior: Inflicting Pain to Feel Pleasure.” *Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin* 45, no. 7 (2018): 1107–1121.https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167218816327
Smith, Veronica, Lair, Elicia, and O'Brien, Sean. “Purposely stoic, accidentally alone? Self-monitoring moderates the relationship between emotion suppression and loneliness.” *Personality and Individual Differences* 149 (2019): 193–200.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.06.012
Čekić, Elvira. “SADISM IN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS.” *International Journal of Science Academic Research* 5, no. 9 (2024): 1077–1081.https://www.scienceijsar.com/sites/default/files/article-pdf/IJSAR-2499.pdf
Sadism
Type | Antagonistic personality structure | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Definition | Tendency to derive pleasure from causing physical, emotional, or psychological pain to others | ||||||||
Historical Origins | Reich (1949) Richard von Krafft-Ebing – Psychopathia Sexualis (1890) Freud (1905/1920) | ||||||||
Psychological Connections | Psychopathy Narcissism Machiavellianism (Dark Triad) | ||||||||
Related Behaviors | Manipulation Belittlement Physical and emotional abuse | ||||||||
Social Impacts | Secret cycles of violence Gender roles Patriarchal culture | ||||||||
Effects on Victims | Anxiety Post-traumatic stress Depression Loss of self-confidence | ||||||||
Research Areas | Gender studies Criminology Clinical psychology Personality psychology | ||||||||
History of Sadism